While paint and other similar materials have been improved by various new formulations over the many years and the paint has been available in cans, the paint can itself has not changed significantly. Paint cans have remained generally cylindrical containers having a top configuration defining a groove for the paint can lid.
There are some areas of packaging, displaying and use of paint cans which can be improved. For example, no matter how great the degree of care, both professional and nonprofessional painters have to deal with the problem of paint accumulating in the groove for the lid and paint running down the outside of the paint can. If the paint in the groove is not removed, it creates problems with application and removal of the lid.
When retail paint stores display paint in cans, such as by stacking two, three, four or more cans on top of each other, the inherent instability of the can as a stacking container becomes a detriment to effective promotion and display of the product. When paint is displayed on shelves and not in stacks, placement of the cans in, and removal of the cans out of the shelves sometimes causes damage to the lid and can junction.
Typically, paint cans are packaged in cardboard containers or the like for shipment from manufactures to distributors or retail outlets. While this type of packaging is generally satisfactory and effective to protect the product during shipment, it is rather expensive and requires a variety of package sizes for shipping different quantities. Furthermore, this type of packaging is rather expensive.
Rim seals for paint cans are not new per se. However, the present designs have disadvantages and drawbacks as discussed below.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,630,241 discloses a drip tray for paint cans which functionally increases the area around the paint can because of the drip tray. This device is expensive, cumbersome, and cannot be used when the paint is poured from the can. This early 1950's patent describes a device which has been outmoded with the advent of painting with rollers or pads.
In a simpler design, U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,890 describes a paint collar which has various lips which engage the paint can rim. Among its limitations is the fact that the paint cannot be poured, and the device does not protect the groove from paint accumulation.
An alternative protective device for paint containers is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,829. This device is also totally unsuited for pouring, as the upwardly sloping terminal flange prevents pouring without creating an even greater waste of paint.
Finally U.S Pat. No. 3,469,735 describes a resealer device which keeps the groove at the top of a paint can clean by filling it with a solid plastic material which is generally sized to fit the can groove. The device functions primarily as a substitute lid with a hole in the center, and appears to require relatively precise dimensioning in order to function effectively. In addition, due to its design, this patent not only does not suggest that more than one paint can may be stacked on another, but in fact describes the device as one which would actually prevent the stacking of cans. Specifically, the anvil rib portion, or the raised cylindrical part which is used for resealing, prevents such stacking. More importantly, due to the bidirectional annular ribs, it is not possible to ship the device in the carton in which paint cans are normally shipped. Finally, it is also clear that the device cannot function as intended without the age old problem of paint run down the sides of the can.